Water-chute.



No. 783,425. PATJ-JNTED) FEB. 28, 1905.

T. FOLKS.

WATER OHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED. JULY 8, 1904.

' s SHEETS-BHEET 1.

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

. T. FOLKS.

WATER OHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1904.

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I lll l l PATENTED FEB. 28

T. FOLKS.

WATER OHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1904.

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Q/Vi in zoom UNHTE STATES Patented. February 28, 1905.

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PATENT WATER-errors.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,425, dated February 28, 1905. Application filed July 8, 1904. Serial Ila-215,841.

To all whom/1J2? maxi/concern.- I

Be it known that I, THOMAS FoLKs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hiram, in the county of Portage and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Chutes, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to improvements in water-chutes and meansfor conveying boats from the loading-station to and over the foot of ascending track and up the same to top of chute and also for turning the boats around and starting them down the descending track.

In the accomplishment of this invention 1 employ an incline or chute having one ascending and one descending track, a lake or large body of Water into which is built or from which emerges a canal in which a current is created by means of a large paddle-wheel or other suitable device for the purpose of conveying boats from the loading-station to and over the foot of ascending track of said chute, an endless chain for conveying boats provided with fingered hinge to top of chutes, and a turn table on which is built two tipping cradles for receiving boats from ascending track and delivering same on descending track,

7 as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

' a side elevation of same.

in which- Figure 1 is a plan of my invention; Fig. 2,

views of turn-table, Fig. 3 being a side view, Fig. 4 a front view, and Fig. 5 a plan view. Fig. 6 is a side view of cradle-tipping appliance; Fig. 7, a plan View of endless chain;

Fig. 8, a sectional view of foot of'ascending viewof boat with fingered hinge attached.

- l track or chute or boat-gurdeways withboat in position to engage chaln; Fig. 9, a side VIEW,

of boat; Fig. 10, a back view of fingered hinge;

Fig, 11, an edge view of same; Fig. 12, a stern -Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views;

The canal,.Figs. l and 2," has two levelsan uppellevel B and a'lower level Beach hav- .ing an inclined 'bbttomx', Thelower' level B begins, preferably, at the loading-station H and runs any dcsirableifcourse' toand under the foot ofascending track 0 of'chute in its 7 Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 are' course to the paddle-wheel L, where the lower- 1 and 2, are placed boat-guideways a and chainwayb, having finger-guide plates a, Fig.

At the -foot of the ascending. track C, adjacent to the s procket-wheel R, Figs.

8. On turn-table F are built two tipping cradlesf' for receiving boats from ascending track C and delivering same on descendingtrack D. In the turn-table F, immediately under the bow end of each cradle f, is an inclined flaring opening f Figs. 4 and 5, the object of which is to allow the cradle f when it is directly in line with the descending track D to be. tipped in order to deliverthe boat on the said descending track and start it on its way down the chute.

1n the operation of.my invention power being applied causessprocket-wheelR to revolve, thereby causing endless chain K, Fig. 9, supported by carriers 6, Fig. 7. to move through,

chainway I) up incline C to top of chute and paddie-wheel L to revolve, thereby lifting water from lower level B of canal'E and-depositing same into upper level B, thereby creating a current in said canal. A boat having a hinge M,

with fingerJ secured thereto, being introduced into-the mouth or beginning of canal E,'adjacent to loading-station H, is caused by said current to move along the course of said canal to and over the foot of ascending track 0 between the boat-gu ides a, which bring the finger J of hinge M directly in slot between fingerguide plates a, when fingerJ'engages with endless chain k, which draws said boat up incline C to top of chute, where endless chain is releases finger J and deposits said boat on one of the cradles f on turn-table F, which being .turned half-way around places'the boat in line with .descendingtmck I), when turn-table is locked and cradle tipped, allowing the boat to runby gravitydown the descending track D, 'into and over the lake A, to the unloading- StatiOl'lG- I am awarethereare devices having inclines up which boats are drawn and allowed to run down by gravityjntoa body'ofwater below and devices which have tipping cradles and urn-tables. These broadly -I do not claim;

'What 1 do claim, and desire to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A water-chute having ascending and descending tracks, the foot of the latter being built in a lake or large body of water; a canal having an inclined bottom and an upper and lower level, the latter of which runs under foot of ascending track; a paddle-wheel for creating and maintaining a current in said canal; and sprocket-wheels over which an endless chain passes for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described. 4

v 2. A water-chute'havin'g a turn-table on which is built two tipping cradles, and means for operating same; a boat having fingered hinge fastened to the stern thereof; and sprocket-wheels over which an endless chain -passe's, for the purpose set forth, and substantiall y as described.

3. A water-chute having ascending and descending tracks, the foot of the latter being in a lake or large body of water; acanal having an inclined bottom, an upperand a lower level, the latter of which runs under the foot of ascending track; a paddle-wheel for creating and maintaining a v current in said canal; a turntable on which is built two tipping cradles, and means for operating same; sprocketwheels over which an endless chain passes, for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described. g

4. A turn-table on which is built two tipping cradles, and means for operating same, for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described.

5. A boat having afingered hinge attached to the stern thereof, in combination with a chainway provided with finger-guide plates for the purpose of guiding finger of said hinge so as to drop in said chainway and engage with chain passing throughsame, for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described.

6. A water-chute having a turntable on which is built two tipping cradles, and means for operating same; a boat to which is attached a hinge having finger to engage in chain; boatguides and finger-guide plates for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described.

7. A water-chute having ascending and descending tracks, the foot of the latter being built in a lake or large body of water; a canal having an inclined bottom and an upper and lower level; a paddle-wheel for creating and maintaining-a current in said canal for the purpose of conveying a boat from loadingstation to and over the foot of said ascending track; a turn-table on which is built two tipping cradles; boat-guides, and chainway having finger-guide plates, for guiding boats having fingered hinge attached thereto, in position to engage said finger with endless cham passing through said chainway for the purpose of conveying boats to top of chute on one of said cradles on turn-table, for the pur-' pose set forth and substantially as-described.

8. In an amusement device, two incline tracks terminating in water; boats adapted to float in the water and run on the tracks; means of receiving passengers at the lower ends of the tracks; means of carrying the boats up one of the tracks; andmeans ofturning the boats and shooting them down the other track.

9. In an amusementdevice, the turn-table; V

tilting frame mounted upon the turn-table;

an incline track leading up to the turnetable; a second track leading down from the turntable; a passenger-carriage adapted to run upon the tracks and' connect with the conveyer, so that the carriage may be loaded at the bottom of the incline,'carried up the incline onto the turn-table, turned around, tilted and shot down the second incline.

10. In an amusement device, an elevated turn-table; a track leading up-to the turntable; a body of water at the lower end of the track; tilting frames upon the turn-table; a second track leading down from th'etur-ntable; and guideways at the lower end of the first track, so that boats floating-upon the water may be guided into position to connect with the conveyer and be carried up the incline to the turn-table, turned around, tilted and shot down the second incline.

11. An amusement device of the character described comprising a superstructure; an ascending track mounted upon said superstructure; adescend'mg track mounted on the same; said ascending and descending tracks being inclined in the same direction and located in different planes; and an organized mechanism, located at the upper ends of said tracks for transporting the boats leaving the ascending track onto the descending track; substantially as specified. 7

12. An amusement device of the character described comprising a superstructure; an ascending track mounted upon said superstructure; a descending track mounted on the same; said ascending and descending tracks upper ends of said tracks for transportingthe boats leaving the ascending track onto the descending track, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS FOLKs'. Witnesses:

G. R. VINCENT, Ur. A. VINCENT. 

